Fascia Massage and Fuzz

In the simplest of terms, fascia is an opaque connective tissue covering to muscle tissue. … The fascia from one muscle then connects with the fascia from other muscles and forms a network of connective tissue that integrates from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

What is fascia buildup?

Removing Excessive Fascia. Fascia is a plastic-like material that surrounds your muscles and other soft tissues. The fascia’s rubber band like qualities return your body to an original position after being elongated. … This thinning of the excessive build-up of fascia frees the body to move optimally.

What does fascia mean in medical terms?

Fascia: A flat band of tissue below the skin that covers underlying tissues and separates different layers of tissue. Fascia also encloses muscles.

What causes the fascia to harden?

Affected tissue may thicken and harden in response to inflammation caused by collagen accumulation. … This syndrome abruptly caused severe, disabling, chronic muscle pain (myalgia); skin symptoms such as inflammation of the tough band of fibrous tissue beneath the skin (fascia); and other neurotoxic reactions.

What is Fuzz?

Everything is hooked together with everything else with ‘fuzz’ – areolar tissue that mixes collagen fibers with GAGs (glycoproteins, mucous) and often is liberally spiced with fat cells.

Yes, the ‘fuzz’ you see in an embalmed cadaver is dryer and more fixed than it is in the untreated tissue, and the fuzz in untreated tissue is probably less moveable than it seems to be in ‘animated’ tissue – this is based on feeling many living bodies as well as trying to ‘work’ on the untreated cadavers. But without a doubt, everything is held together with fascia – much more than the books usually reveal.

Like ligaments, aponeuroses, and tendons, fascia is made up of fibrous connective tissue containing closely packed bundles of collagen fibers oriented in a wavy pattern parallel to the direction of pull. Fascia is consequently flexible and able to resist great unidirectional tension forces until the wavy pattern of fibers has been straightened out by the pulling force. These collagen fibers are produced by fibroblasts located within the fascia.[1]

Fasciae are similar to ligaments and tendons as they have collagen as their major component. They differ in their location and function: ligaments join one bone to another bone, tendons join muscle to bone, and fasciae surround muscles and other structures.

Structure

There exists some controversy about what structures are considered “fascia”, and how fascia should be classified.[2] The two most common systems are:

Due to its viscoelastic properties, superficial fascia can stretch to accommodate the deposition of adipose that accompanies both ordinary and prenatal weight gain. After pregnancy and weight loss, the superficial fascia slowly reverts to its original level of tension.

Visceral fascia

Visceral fascia (also called subserous fascia) suspends the organs within their cavities and wraps them in layers of connective tissue membranes. Each of the organs is covered in a double layer of fascia; these layers are separated by a thin serous membrane.

The skin of the organ is known as the visceral layer. The organs have specialized names for their visceral fasciae. In the brain, they are known as meninges; in the heart, they are known as pericardia; in the lungs, they are known as pleurae; and in the abdomen, they are known as peritonea.[8]

Visceral fascia is less extensible than superficial fascia. Due to its suspensory role of the organs, it needs to maintain its tone rather consistently. If it is too lax, it contributes to organ prolapse, yet if it is hypertonic, it restricts proper organ motility.[9]

Function

Fasciae were traditionally thought of as passive structures that transmit mechanical tension generated by muscular activities or external forces throughout the body. An important function of muscle fasciae is to reduce the friction of muscular force. In doing so, fasciae provide a supportive and movable wrapping for nerves and blood vessels as they pass through and between muscles.[13] Fascial tissues are frequently innervated by sensory nerve endings. These include myelinated as well as unmyelinated nerves. Based on this a proprioceptive, nociceptive, as well as interoceptive function of fascia, has been postulated.[14] Fascial tissues – particularly those with tendinous or aponeurotic properties – are also able to store and release elastic potential energy.

Clinical significance

Fascia becomes important clinically when it loses stiffness, becomes too stiff or has decreased shearing ability.[15] When inflammatory fasciitis or trauma causes fibrosis and adhesions, fascial tissue fails to differentiate the adjacent structures effectively. This can happen after surgery where the fascia has been incised and healing includes a scar that traverses the surrounding structures.

Why is fascia massage important to massage therapy?

It breaks down adhesions between the tissues and softens and re-aligns them, freeing up muscles and allowing easier and more effective movement. … Movement and massage therapy plays an important role in keeping connective tissue hydrated and mobile.

What is the difference between myofascial release and deep tissue massage?

What’s the difference between deep tissue massage and myofascial release? Techniques that utilize deep-tissue/deep-muscle massage are used to affect the sub-layer of musculature—the deeper layers of muscle. … Restricted fascia will not allow the muscle it encases to relax into proper function.

How do you loosen tight fascia?

USE A FOAM ROLLER: Like stretching, using a foam roller on your fascia is different than on your muscles. Be gentle and slow in your movements, and when you find an area of tension hold sustained pressure for three to five minutes. You may practice self-massage with the same rules.

How could a fascia massage therapist help?

Massage therapists can help with a technique called Myofascial Release that uses sustained pressure to loosen and lengthen constricted fascia. It breaks down adhesions between the tissues and softens and re-aligns them, freeing up muscles and allowing easier and more effective movement. Myofascial Release can improve posture, ease areas of muscle tension and improve flexibility.

Movement and massage therapy plays an important role in keeping connective tissue hydrated and mobile. When we are in similar postures for prolonged periods of time, such as sitting and working at a desk or on a computer, our bodies adapt to support these positions, and the fascia becomes tight if we do not undertake to compensate movement or therapies.

Here are some key activities for fascia care:

stretch or move often

take quick breaks away from the computer to move more regularly throughout the day

stay hydrated

yoga

Thai massage

fascia stretch therapy

myofascial release therapy

foam rolling

massage therapy

*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company or specific massage therapy technique, modality or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.